< previous page page_453 next page >

Page 453
"I will leave you to your rest then," Sir Peter said, and virtually scurried from the room.
Ian stood stock-still, staring after the man. He was torn between a horrible desire to laugh at the incredible ineptness of Sir Peter's attempts to conceal that he was planning some wrong, and the alarm bells that were ringing louder and louder in his brain. Only he could not see where the danger lay. True, he was unarmed and without weaponshe glanced around, noting a sturdy table that would make an excellent shield and the tall, wrought-iron candleholder that would make an excellent, if unwieldly, weapon. But it was insane. Surely the man would not bring him to his own bedchamber to murder him. Nor, Ian thought, as one of the maids came forward to undo his belt, would he leave two women in the room with him.
With his mind elsewhere, Ian permitted the women to undress him, and then washed sketchily in the bowl of warm water that was provided. He drew on a proffered bedrobe, shaking his head when they asked if he desired anything else. When a pitcher of watered wine had been set by the bed in case he grew thirsty in the night, the maids curtsied and withdrew. Ian sat down by the fire, drawing the table close on his left and the candleholder close on his right. Sure that he could reach both easily, he left the question of defending himself to his subconscious and concentrated on the real problem. In ultimate terms, it was far less important what Sir Peter intended to do than why he intended to do it.
Ian took out his glimmering of an idea and looked at it. He went back to his wedding time and put together his relationship with Llewelyn and Alinor's remark that she had spoken to Sir Peter several times without really attending to what he said because her attention was all for her husband. What had happened? Ian asked himself, his mind instantly diverted from the life-and-death questions of Clyro Hill. What had come between him and Alinor? Could Alinor so long hold a grudge because

 
< previous page page_453 next page >